Airship



Sept. 24, 1929.

' M. A. SZYMANSKI AIRSHIP Filed Jan. 11, 1926 PROPRIETOR Jmns a, M

ATTO NE Patented Sept. 24, 1929 PATENT OFFICE f f MICHAEL A. szYMAivsxI, OFVJ'ACKSONVILLE, rronrnn AIRSHIP Application filed January 11, 1926. Serial No. 80,603.

This invention relates to airships or flying machines of the lighter-than-air class, and of rigid, semi-rigid or non-rigid type, employing a sustaining aerostat or envelope and a suitable non-inflammable inflating medium, such, for example, as helium gas. The invention, however, may be employed in connection with aerostats containing gas of a low degree of infiammability.

The main ob 'ect of the invention is to provide simple, reliable, eflicient and economical means for heating the gas wheneverrequired to compensate for pressure changes below that required for proper distention of the envelope and sustention of the craft, due to vent and leakage losses and to climatic changes under which gas contraction occurs.

Another object of the invention is to provide heating means whereby the gas in differing portions or compartments of the envelope may be heated for trimming purposes or to facilitate ascent or descent of the craft.

Still another object of the invention is to provide heating devices or units using different sources of heat and which may be separably or conjointly employed for a heating action, so that a maximum heatingveffect may be produced in case of emergency, and so that, in the event of the inoperability of a heating unit or units using one source of heat, one or more units'using a different source of heat may still be employed.

The invention consists of the features ofv away or in section to showthe interior con-' struction.

Figure 2 is a front end elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is avertical transverse section on line 3: 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a rear end elevation.

Figure 5' is an enlarged sectional view, of the valved partitions.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, ldesignates the sustaining aerostat or envelope, which may be of any ordinary form as employed in, craft of this character,

and made of suitable air and gas tight fabric. 7

At its forward end or nose the aerostat 1 is provided with an anchor ring 2 for connection with an anchor line, and atits rear end the aerostat is provided with a vertical rudder 3 and a horizontal rudder 4 for steering and balancing purposes. The envelope may be provided with the usual exterior netting, throughout the whole or any desired part thereof, and with fixed stability fins of any proper location if desired.

The interior of the aerostat or envelope is divided by transverse partitions 5, or otherwise, to provide compartments 6 to hold the inflating medium, and these partitions may be provided with valves 6 or other suitable provision made for the restricted flow of the inflating medium from one compartment to another for trimming or pressure equalizing purposes, in order that the envelope may be maintained'properly taut or distended at all points. In practice, the envelope may be of double envelope type, embodying an inner envelope and an outer cover, the inner envelope being divided by the partitions 5 into the compartments 6, and any suitable means for charging the compartments with themflating medium may be employed.

- The frame structure of the craft includes the partitions 5, or portions thereof, and a keel 7, which are suitably united, and properly tied and braced, and to which keel, and such other portions of a frame structure which may be employed, the envelope and its netting are suitably secured. .The keel and partitions, or portions of the latter, may be made in practice of duralumin, or other suitable light and strong metal and the extent of the framing. may be increased to any degree desired according to the type of craft which is to be produced, whether of non-rigid, semirigid' or rigid type. The keel 7, as shown in the present instance, is'shorter than the aerostat and terminates at front and rear at the points of junction of the main body portion of the craft with the nose portion 8 and tail portion 9, but it may be of greater or less length, as desired; A portion of this keel,

- and 9 and'the car 11 to the keel 7 or central portion of the body of the aerostat. At opposite sides of the cars 10, 11 and 12 other cars 13 may be disposed, which cars 13 may be suspended from the netting of the envelope. The car 10 may serve as the pilots heated.

car in which the steering controls for'operating the rudders 3 and 4; are arranged. The cars 10 and 11 and, if desired, the car 12 may serve as power cars on which. propelling mechanism, of any suitable type may be placed. Inthe present instance the cars 10 and 11 are shown as each provided with propelling means in the form of a motor 14 driving a propeller 15, which motor 14 is preferably of the Diesel or other internal combustion type. These cars 10, 11 and 12 I may be suitably constructed to hold provisioiis, fuel, ballastand other supplies, and may also provide quarters for oflicers or members of the crew. The cars 13 may also be constructed to provide quarters foroflicers and crew and to carry'provisions ,or other supplies and freight, mail or express matter. Additional ears or cabins 15 may be provided between the car 11 and the cars 10 and 12, respectively, for the transportation "of freight or mail matter, or passengers, if

any. These cars or cabins 15' may be supported directly from the keel 7.

Disposed within the heating chamber formed by the keel 7 is a longitudinally extending heater 16, in the form of a burner pipe. This pipe is supplied with fuel from a conductor 17 communicating with a fuel storage tank 18 on the car 11, which tank is designed to contain a liquid hydrocarbon or similar fuel. Communicating with the tank 18 is-an air conductor '01 blast nozzle 19, by which air under pressure from a suitable source may be pumped into the tank so as to provide carbureted fuel to be supplied to the burner pipe, producing a blow-torch or Bunsen type of burner apparatus. The pipe 16 is provided with burner orifices at which the streams of issuing gas are ignited, whereby the interior of the keel chamber 7 is At its sides, or at other suitable points the chamber 7 is perforate or provided with openings for the supply of air to supportcombustion and for the discharge of the products of'combustion. The chamber 7 may be provided, in practice, with a lining of asbestos or other incombustible material, covering also the superposed portion of the framing and the fabric of the craft, so as to protect the same against the direct heat of the flames or from the direct transmission the associated compartment 6 will be drawn through the inlet 21' into the pipe'20 and discharged through the outlet 22, passing through said pipe and being heated within the chamber 7. Provision is thus made.

for the heating of the inflating gas 'within these compartments. The gas so heated may circulate through the partitions 5 between said compartments, so that the gas content thereof may be equally heated.

-For heating the inflating gas contained within the bow and stern chambers 6, separate heaters may be employed. Each of these heaters consists of a spirally coiled conductor 23 disposed within a flue 24 and having inlet and discharge ends 25 and 26 communicating with the lower and upper'portions of itscompartment. The flue 24 extends vertically through the compartment 6 between the top and bottom of the aerostat, saidflue having a gauze cover 27 at its upper outlet end and extending at its lower end below the bottom of the envelope. This lower extended end of the flue receives a burner 28 connected with a fuel conductor 29 leading from. a storage tank 30 on the car 10, said tank 30 having an air blast pipe or nozzle 31 connected therewith, the construction in this respect being.

similar to that employed for supplying fuel to the burner pipe 16. The flames and products of combustion from the burner 28 impinge against the heating tube 23, thus heat-' ing the same and the gas flowing therethrough, and finally discharging through the foraminous outlet 27. Inflating'gas is thus drawn from the lower portion of the compartment 6 and discharged into the upper portion of said compartment, being heated on its passage. By providing separate heaters for the bow and stern compartments,- the gas in both of these compartments .may.

be heated at the same time the central compartments are being heated Whenever it is required to heatthe entire body of gas, as in case of an emergency, for sustention purposes. The separate heaters at the bow and stern further permit of the gas in the bow or stern compartment being heated to facilitate and expedite up and down steering motions of the craft, as will be readily understood. As all of the compartments may be in restricted communication, itma'y'ordinarily only be found necessary to heat the gas in a'certain number of compartments in motors to the pipe 32.

may be provided with. a controlling and cut order to keep the entire envelope distended or properly taut even when flying at high 5 heat from the motors 14. To this end, a heating pipe 32 is extended longitudinally through the envelope 1 the full length thereof and in the line of the axis of said envelope. This pipe is imperforate except at its ends, which connect with the extremities of the bow and stern portions 8 and 9 and open tothe atmosphere through such extremities. Pipes 33 lead from the exhaust outlet-s of the motors 14: for conducting the exhaust gases from the Each of these pipes 33 off valve 34 so that the supply of the heated gases to the pipe 32 may be regulated or entirely cut off. Provision is thus made whereby the compartments may be heated by the waste gases of the driving motors, whenever such motors are running, so that the other heaters need only be employed in case of an emergency or whenever the driving motors are inactive or inoperative, thus economizing in the use of the heating fuel. The pipe 32 may be made of any suitable diameter for an effective heating action by conduction and radiation.

From the foregoing description,'taken in connection with the drawing, the construction and operation of my invention will be readily understood, and it will be seen that simple, reliable and eflicient means are provided for heating the gas in the envelope to maintain a desired pressure on the envelope irrespective of climatic or other conditions, whereby the craft may be the better controlled and maneuvered and greater safety of operation ensured. It will be apparent, also, that by the use of a plurality of heaters having variant sources of heat supply, economy in the use of fuel is ensured, as well as a greater factor of safety, inasmuch asin the event of the inoperativeness of one set of heaters from any cause another set may be used.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim I 1. An airship embodying an envelope having a gas containing compartment, a flue extending through said compartment but closed against communication therewith, a heating coil in said flue and communicating at different levels with said compartment, and

heating means communicating with the flue.

2. An-airship embodying a gas containing envelope, a flue sealed against communication with the gas containing space of the envelope and extending through the envelope from top to bottom thereof, the upper end of said flue communicating with the atmosphere, heating means at or communicating with the lower end of the flue, and a gas conductor comprising a tube located in the flue and communicating at its ends with the top and bottom of the gas containing space of the envelope.

' 3. An airship embodying a gas containing envelope, 9. flue sealed against communication with the gas containing space of the envelope and extending through the envelope from top to bottom thereof, the upper end of said flue opening to the atmosphere, heating means at or communicating with the lower end of the flue, and a coiled gas conducting tube arranged in the flue and having its ends communicating with the top and bottom of the gas containing space of the envelope.

4:. In an airship embodying an envelope having a gas containing compartment, a heating chamber exteriorly of said envelope, and a pipe body extending horizontally in said chamber beneath said compartment and having its ends extending upwardly into the compartment at opposite ends thereof and communicating therewith at different levels.

5. In an airship embodying an envelope having gas containing compartments, a keel extending longitudinally of the ship and embodying a hollow chamber, a heating element within said keel, and a plurality of pipes within the keel over said element, each having its ends passing through said envelope into a gas compartment, one end of each pipe terminating within the lower part thereof, the other end extending to and terminating in the upper part of the compartment.

6. An airship embodying an envelope having a gas containing compartment, a flue extending into but closed against communication with said compartment, a tube extending longitudinally through said flue and communicating at the ends and at different levels with the compartment, and means for heating the interior of said flue.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

MICHAEL A. SZYMANSKI. 

